Budget Like A ProHoliday budget calculator
Work out what your trip really costs, what you need to put aside each month between now and departure, and whether that comfortably fits alongside your bills and savings.
Insurance, transfers, luggage, parking, pet care.
What's left after bills and savings — the planner works this out for you.
Your trip breakdown
| Item | Cost |
|---|---|
| Travel | £400 |
| Accommodation | £600 |
| Food, days out and spending money | £400 |
| Extras (insurance, transfers, bags, pet care) | £150 |
| Total | £1,550 |
Set aside each month
£258
for 6 months to cover £1,550
That fits inside your spare £320 a month and still leaves about £62 for everyday extras.
An estimate based on the figures you entered — prices and exchange rates change.
A realistic cost checklist
The headline price of a holiday is rarely the price of the holiday. Before you decide it's affordable, add:
- Travel insurance, seat selection and baggage.
- Airport parking, transfers and taxis at both ends.
- Food and drink — easily £40–£80 a day per adult in much of Europe.
- Attractions, tours and one or two nicer meals.
- Pet or house sitting, and any childcare while you're away.
- The pre-trip shop: suncream, clothes, adapters, toiletries.
Then check it against the rest of your year
A trip is affordable when its monthly cost fits inside money that isn't already promised to something else. Work out that figure with the future spending planner, or read how much can I afford to spend on a holiday?
Questions people ask
How much should I spend on a holiday?
There's no universal figure — it depends on what's left after your bills, savings and other planned costs. A useful test is whether the monthly amount needed between now and departure fits inside your spare money without touching your emergency fund.
What do people forget to budget for?
Airport parking and transfers, luggage fees, travel insurance, pet or house sitting, eating out on the first and last day, and the shopping you do the week before you go.
Is it better to save monthly or pay on a card?
Spreading the cost across the months before you travel means the trip is paid for before you leave. Paying on credit shifts the same cost into months you haven't planned yet, usually with interest on top.